HH 3.0 EC Lore
- Thread starter MolotovKraken
- Start date
IIIrd LEGIONES ASTARTES
EMPEROR'S CHILDREN
The Legionaries of the Emperor’s Children have always strived to be exemplars above all others in the arts of war, paragons of martial virtue and excellence, scorning those who did not meet their standards This led them to seek perfection in war as a fluid, lightning-quick force whose battles were preordained victories brought about by a combination of acute strategic planning and flawless execution. Always they sought greater challenges against prove which prove themselves and attained greater glories in turn,
From this vaunted height, the IIIrd Legion would descend into treachery and become the lowest and most vile of creatures, enslaved to pride and consumed by desires that no natural power could fulfil. The history of the Legion's deeds before its fall is not simply a history of what it was and what it achieved, but a history of how it created its own doom, for as the ancient texts say: “Pride goeth before destruction”, and seldom has this proverb been more apt than the case of the IIIrd Legion.
Primogenitor: Fulgrim
Cognomen: (Prior) None
Observed Strategic Tendencies: Combined Arms Warfare, the use of Complex Manoeuvre and Discursive Tactical Planning, Asymmetrical Assault.
Noteworthy Domains: Chemos (Primary), Terra (Tertiary rights)
Allegiance: Traitoris Perdita
EMPEROR'S CHILDREN
The Legionaries of the Emperor’s Children have always strived to be exemplars above all others in the arts of war, paragons of martial virtue and excellence, scorning those who did not meet their standards This led them to seek perfection in war as a fluid, lightning-quick force whose battles were preordained victories brought about by a combination of acute strategic planning and flawless execution. Always they sought greater challenges against prove which prove themselves and attained greater glories in turn,
From this vaunted height, the IIIrd Legion would descend into treachery and become the lowest and most vile of creatures, enslaved to pride and consumed by desires that no natural power could fulfil. The history of the Legion's deeds before its fall is not simply a history of what it was and what it achieved, but a history of how it created its own doom, for as the ancient texts say: “Pride goeth before destruction”, and seldom has this proverb been more apt than the case of the IIIrd Legion.
Primogenitor: Fulgrim
Cognomen: (Prior) None
Observed Strategic Tendencies: Combined Arms Warfare, the use of Complex Manoeuvre and Discursive Tactical Planning, Asymmetrical Assault.
Noteworthy Domains: Chemos (Primary), Terra (Tertiary rights)
Allegiance: Traitoris Perdita
THE MARTIAL BROTHERHOOD
Terran recruits for the IIIrd Legion were drawn from the noble houses of Europa, forming an aristocratic brotherhood bonded by martial pride. The Legion’s gene-seed was free from flaw, and its warriors were given to a competitive spirit, eager to prove their individual superiority. The nascent 111" Legion was deployed not en-masse like its brother Legions, but in smaller cadres leading Imperial Army regiments, allowing its Legionaries to prove themselves as natural leaders with a superb ability to execute the intent and exceed the expectations of the Emperor in war.
The noble bearing of the 111" Legion’s warriors made them ideal diplomats and emissaries, often afforded the honour of carrying the Emperor’s standard. None were honoured - more highly by the Master of Mankind; for after a cohort of the Legion sacrificed themselves to shield Him during the betrayal at Proxima, they were given the exclusive right to bear the Emperor’s sigil, the Palatine Aquila, and he named them his ‘Children’.
Though the Emperor’s Children earned huge renown, their superlative rise was not to last. Just as the Great Crusade was beginning, the Legion suffered a tragic gene-seed crisis. Through treachery and viral blight, its -~ - reserves of gene-seed dwindled beyond replenishment. Withering to a shadow of the force it once was, attrition bled the strength of the Legion to almost nothing. With only two hundred warriors remaining, so few that each carried the banner of a perished Company, on the very brink of extinction the Legion was reunited with its Primarch and saved.
ORDERED PERFECTION
In the IIIrd Legion, every warrior was placed in a function best suited to their ability, Fulgrim maintained rigid order amongst the divisions of his Legion and command hierarchy, which were divided into strict lines of authority, with thirty Lord Commanders below the Primarch, of whom the first ten were exalted as ‘Princes of War', forming Fulgrim's inner circle, Each Lord Commander led a chapter (named a ‘Millennial’) and authority descended through an elaborate and multi-tiered command structure from company praetors down, with each Space Marine looking to his superior devoutly for leadership in a manner that bordered on a cult of personality. At their height the thirty Millennials numbered 110,000 warriors, though in the wake of the lsstvan campaign it is believed to have been reduced to roughly half that, only recovering by the eve of the Siege of Terra through accelerated implantation and indoctrination procedures. Honours were common, but were gifted rather than assumed, and those granted by the hand of the Primarch were held in the highest esteem. Every warrior knew his place and value, and this translated into a level of personal commitment and bravery fuelled in no small part by an unshakable faith in their own superiority.
The Emperor’s Children believed there was no sphere of warfare in which they could not excel, though they never possessed the numbers or the mindset to engage in brute attrition warfare, and so their primary consideration was to keep the Legion as intact as possible while achieving victory. One of their chosen virtues was lightning warfare, for they believed that speed and decisiveness assured victory over strength and endurance. Moreover, Fulgrim himself preferred swift and elegant combat styles, and many companies of the Legion adopted large numbers of jump pack equipped assault units, jetbikes and Land Speeders.
The emphasis on excellence led to the formation of a number of unique elite and specialised units such as the ‘Sun-Killers’ - lascannon-equipped squads formed from the créme of the Legion's heavy weapon specialists, or who fulfilled more formal roles such as the Phoenix Terminators, Fulgrim's praetorians, whose number was set at two hundred in memory of the first days of the Legion's rebirth. Single combat was encouraged as a primary martial tradition, the duel seen as the ultimate =~ expression of a warrior’s prowess. So highly regarded were the bladesmasters of the Emperor’s Children that a semi-formal formation was allowed to develop whose membership existed outside of the rigid rank structure; that of the Brotherhoods of the Palatine Blades, who formed only for battles against foes deemed worthy of N Ya their attention.
Terran recruits for the IIIrd Legion were drawn from the noble houses of Europa, forming an aristocratic brotherhood bonded by martial pride. The Legion’s gene-seed was free from flaw, and its warriors were given to a competitive spirit, eager to prove their individual superiority. The nascent 111" Legion was deployed not en-masse like its brother Legions, but in smaller cadres leading Imperial Army regiments, allowing its Legionaries to prove themselves as natural leaders with a superb ability to execute the intent and exceed the expectations of the Emperor in war.
The noble bearing of the 111" Legion’s warriors made them ideal diplomats and emissaries, often afforded the honour of carrying the Emperor’s standard. None were honoured - more highly by the Master of Mankind; for after a cohort of the Legion sacrificed themselves to shield Him during the betrayal at Proxima, they were given the exclusive right to bear the Emperor’s sigil, the Palatine Aquila, and he named them his ‘Children’.
Though the Emperor’s Children earned huge renown, their superlative rise was not to last. Just as the Great Crusade was beginning, the Legion suffered a tragic gene-seed crisis. Through treachery and viral blight, its -~ - reserves of gene-seed dwindled beyond replenishment. Withering to a shadow of the force it once was, attrition bled the strength of the Legion to almost nothing. With only two hundred warriors remaining, so few that each carried the banner of a perished Company, on the very brink of extinction the Legion was reunited with its Primarch and saved.
ORDERED PERFECTION
In the IIIrd Legion, every warrior was placed in a function best suited to their ability, Fulgrim maintained rigid order amongst the divisions of his Legion and command hierarchy, which were divided into strict lines of authority, with thirty Lord Commanders below the Primarch, of whom the first ten were exalted as ‘Princes of War', forming Fulgrim's inner circle, Each Lord Commander led a chapter (named a ‘Millennial’) and authority descended through an elaborate and multi-tiered command structure from company praetors down, with each Space Marine looking to his superior devoutly for leadership in a manner that bordered on a cult of personality. At their height the thirty Millennials numbered 110,000 warriors, though in the wake of the lsstvan campaign it is believed to have been reduced to roughly half that, only recovering by the eve of the Siege of Terra through accelerated implantation and indoctrination procedures. Honours were common, but were gifted rather than assumed, and those granted by the hand of the Primarch were held in the highest esteem. Every warrior knew his place and value, and this translated into a level of personal commitment and bravery fuelled in no small part by an unshakable faith in their own superiority.
The Emperor’s Children believed there was no sphere of warfare in which they could not excel, though they never possessed the numbers or the mindset to engage in brute attrition warfare, and so their primary consideration was to keep the Legion as intact as possible while achieving victory. One of their chosen virtues was lightning warfare, for they believed that speed and decisiveness assured victory over strength and endurance. Moreover, Fulgrim himself preferred swift and elegant combat styles, and many companies of the Legion adopted large numbers of jump pack equipped assault units, jetbikes and Land Speeders.
The emphasis on excellence led to the formation of a number of unique elite and specialised units such as the ‘Sun-Killers’ - lascannon-equipped squads formed from the créme of the Legion's heavy weapon specialists, or who fulfilled more formal roles such as the Phoenix Terminators, Fulgrim's praetorians, whose number was set at two hundred in memory of the first days of the Legion's rebirth. Single combat was encouraged as a primary martial tradition, the duel seen as the ultimate =~ expression of a warrior’s prowess. So highly regarded were the bladesmasters of the Emperor’s Children that a semi-formal formation was allowed to develop whose membership existed outside of the rigid rank structure; that of the Brotherhoods of the Palatine Blades, who formed only for battles against foes deemed worthy of N Ya their attention.
THE PRIMARCH
FULGRIM
Long-forgotten Chemos was a grey-skied and grey-skinn.ed mining world, where hope was thin and drudgery the coin of life. Privation was common on Chemos and the isolated human population that abided there suffered slow decay. Despite all these hardships, Fulgrim rose quickly to power. Compared to the wretches that breathed the slow-poison of Chemos’ polluted atmosphere, Fulgrim was pale-skinned and fine- boned, like some ancient paragon of grace given life. Ash white hair framed a handsome face and his violet eyes held a spark of delight. Fulgrim inspired hope with his intellect, his mien and his practiced humility in respect of his own brilliance.
Once reunited with his Legion, in war, thought, craft and creation he excelled effortlessly. He re-organised the Emperor’s Children in a manner that suited his own exacting nature. Nothing was left to whim or chance; everything was deliberate | and assessed for its aesthetic and functional value. Fulgrim was fond of remarking that if one was to excel then no detail was too small to consider, and that the quality of the whole lay in the quality of its constituents. In ordering his Legion, it is not surprising then that Fulgrim favoured formality, conformity and order, albeit with some leeway for flair. He sought to maintain the majesty of his Legion, recruiting from the ruling elite of worlds brought to Compliance, He was a being who revelled in the beauty of art, music and poetry, insisting that those around him were more than just warriors but artisans of the finest aspects of humanity,
Fulgrim's only flaw was his pride, and it is among the greatest tragedies of the Horus Heresy that one of the Emperor's most noble paragons would be corrupted through this weakness, and brought from the height of glory to the basest nadir of degeneracy,
FULGRIM
Long-forgotten Chemos was a grey-skied and grey-skinn.ed mining world, where hope was thin and drudgery the coin of life. Privation was common on Chemos and the isolated human population that abided there suffered slow decay. Despite all these hardships, Fulgrim rose quickly to power. Compared to the wretches that breathed the slow-poison of Chemos’ polluted atmosphere, Fulgrim was pale-skinned and fine- boned, like some ancient paragon of grace given life. Ash white hair framed a handsome face and his violet eyes held a spark of delight. Fulgrim inspired hope with his intellect, his mien and his practiced humility in respect of his own brilliance.
Once reunited with his Legion, in war, thought, craft and creation he excelled effortlessly. He re-organised the Emperor’s Children in a manner that suited his own exacting nature. Nothing was left to whim or chance; everything was deliberate | and assessed for its aesthetic and functional value. Fulgrim was fond of remarking that if one was to excel then no detail was too small to consider, and that the quality of the whole lay in the quality of its constituents. In ordering his Legion, it is not surprising then that Fulgrim favoured formality, conformity and order, albeit with some leeway for flair. He sought to maintain the majesty of his Legion, recruiting from the ruling elite of worlds brought to Compliance, He was a being who revelled in the beauty of art, music and poetry, insisting that those around him were more than just warriors but artisans of the finest aspects of humanity,
Fulgrim's only flaw was his pride, and it is among the greatest tragedies of the Horus Heresy that one of the Emperor's most noble paragons would be corrupted through this weakness, and brought from the height of glory to the basest nadir of degeneracy,
In war, the Emperor’s Children relied greatly on peerless strategic planning and flawless execution of battle plans by individual warriors. Every aspect of battle was analysed and turned to advantage, from terrain and weather to logistical support and reinforcement, nothing was left to chance. This almost mechanistic approach to warfare had its dangers as well as it strengths, however, and should an entirely unforeseen contingency occur, or some crucial element or asset be unexpectedly removed, the Legion could be wrong-footed and thrown into ¢confusion. However, for the most part, the strict and sure chain of command and the Legionaires' attention to detail and individual skill allowed them to execute some of the most complicate multi-tiered combined arms feats of any Legion during the Great Crusade.
In the last years of the Great Crusade, the pursuit of excellence became an arrogant assumption of superiority - the collection of laurels more important than Imperial Unity. It is likely that the overweening pride that had come to dominate the Legion’s senior commanders forced them to walk the path of the Traitor rather than the role of servants in a unified and peaceful Imperium. To become reduced to one amongst many was a fate that pride could not endure
During the Age of Darkness, the practised excellence of the Emperor’s Children was a brittle facade that concealed a swiftly growing canker. At the heart of the IIIrd Legion, Fulgrim and his Lord Commanders partook of sordid feasts and abhorrent bacchanals that defied both decency and sanity. With their leaders languishing in decadence, the Legion fragmented; many of its commanders blaming one another for their lack of perfection and settling matters of honour in bloody duels. And as Fulgrim sank into madness his Legionaries followed, making of themselves fearsome instruments of terror in the process
In the last years of the Great Crusade, the pursuit of excellence became an arrogant assumption of superiority - the collection of laurels more important than Imperial Unity. It is likely that the overweening pride that had come to dominate the Legion’s senior commanders forced them to walk the path of the Traitor rather than the role of servants in a unified and peaceful Imperium. To become reduced to one amongst many was a fate that pride could not endure
During the Age of Darkness, the practised excellence of the Emperor’s Children was a brittle facade that concealed a swiftly growing canker. At the heart of the IIIrd Legion, Fulgrim and his Lord Commanders partook of sordid feasts and abhorrent bacchanals that defied both decency and sanity. With their leaders languishing in decadence, the Legion fragmented; many of its commanders blaming one another for their lack of perfection and settling matters of honour in bloody duels. And as Fulgrim sank into madness his Legionaries followed, making of themselves fearsome instruments of terror in the process
MARK VI
CORVUS ARMOUR
Corvus Armour, which entered service just before the outbreak of the Horus Heresy, was equipped with advanced auto- sensory technology and a more efficient power distribution system than Mark 1V. Prototype forms of Mark VI armour were in circulation amongst many Legions during the Great Crusade with varying success; the Iron Warriors famously rejecting the pattern in favour of heavier armour. Many of the first suits which were evacuated from the Martian Schism were issued to the Raven Guard, who favoured them for their lightweight and stealthy profile. The Alpha Legion, too, is believed to have obtained an early schema for the production of Mark VI armour and used it widely from the onset of the Horus Heresy.
By the later stages of the Age of Darkness, Mark VI was in wide use throughout almost every Legion, for both sides were able to call upon Forge Worlds in possession of the imprints to manufacture it. By the time of the Siege of Terra, Mark VI was fast becoming the most numerous pattern in service, seeing significant use among the Imperial Fists and Blood Angels Legions as they prepared for the defence of Terra, and on the Traitor side, it was worn en-masse by the Emperor’s Children during the Siege of Terra.
In the closing days of the Siege of Terra, the Loyalists would introduce yet another mark of power armour: Mark V11 ‘Aquila Armour. This variant had its roots in developmental work undertaken in the last few years of the Horus Heresy, and was little more than experimental, even when it entered limited service. In the Great Scouring that followed, it would be Marks VI and V1l which would enter mass distribution amongst the Loyalists, but such grim tales are the preserve of another volume.
CORVUS ARMOUR
Corvus Armour, which entered service just before the outbreak of the Horus Heresy, was equipped with advanced auto- sensory technology and a more efficient power distribution system than Mark 1V. Prototype forms of Mark VI armour were in circulation amongst many Legions during the Great Crusade with varying success; the Iron Warriors famously rejecting the pattern in favour of heavier armour. Many of the first suits which were evacuated from the Martian Schism were issued to the Raven Guard, who favoured them for their lightweight and stealthy profile. The Alpha Legion, too, is believed to have obtained an early schema for the production of Mark VI armour and used it widely from the onset of the Horus Heresy.
By the later stages of the Age of Darkness, Mark VI was in wide use throughout almost every Legion, for both sides were able to call upon Forge Worlds in possession of the imprints to manufacture it. By the time of the Siege of Terra, Mark VI was fast becoming the most numerous pattern in service, seeing significant use among the Imperial Fists and Blood Angels Legions as they prepared for the defence of Terra, and on the Traitor side, it was worn en-masse by the Emperor’s Children during the Siege of Terra.
In the closing days of the Siege of Terra, the Loyalists would introduce yet another mark of power armour: Mark V11 ‘Aquila Armour. This variant had its roots in developmental work undertaken in the last few years of the Horus Heresy, and was little more than experimental, even when it entered limited service. In the Great Scouring that followed, it would be Marks VI and V1l which would enter mass distribution amongst the Loyalists, but such grim tales are the preserve of another volume.
LEGIONES AUXILIA
Archite Palatines
The history of the Archite Palatines is intrinsically linked with that of the 11I" Legion, their origins lying at the very dawn of the Great Crusade and their memberships both drawn from the noble houses of Europa. Though the first Archite Palatine cohorts served with several Space Marine Legions in the decades after their founding, the cultural ties they shared with the 111" Legion saw them stand closer to the Emperor’s Children than any other. After Fulgrim’s rediscovery, the Phoenician immediately recognised this bond and declared the Archite Palatines wards of the Emperor’s Children within a year of joining his Legion, lauding their worth but tying them eternally to dwell in the 11 Legion’s shadow.
The Archite Palatines Legiones Auxilia Designation is also intended to represent various other Solar Auxilia cohorts bonded to the 111™ Legion, such as the Arkadian Janissaries.
Redouble
Sharing in a degree of their Legionary patrons’ haughtiness, the Archite Palatines revelled in any opportunity to improve their legend by performing valorous deeds, establishing a history of bold advances where a single formation’s resolve in the face of adversity had emboldened an entire battleline.
ARCHITE PALATINES AUXILIARY
AUXILIARY OPHELIA HOUVE
174th INFANTRY TERCIO, 26th SOLAR AUXILIA COHORT,
‘ARCHITE PALATINES' - BONDED TO THE IIIrd LEGION
The Archite Palatines carried their Terran legacy with pride, recruiting exclusively from Europan nobility, though the credibility of this heritage during the waning years of the Great Crusade - well into the second century since the original Archite Palatines’ founding - proved questionable. Records officially suppressed by the Imperial Court and the envoys of the IIIrd Legion speak to sizeable clone-batches produced at Fulgrim’s command, initially commissioned from the gene-cults of Luna and later propagated by the IIIrd Legion’s own apothecarion. While there is no evidence directly linking these extremely unusual mass-clonings with the Archite Palatines, the fact that each known crop of clones came either directly in the aftermath of mass casualties suffered by the Archite Palatines or directly coincided with the raising of new cohorts certainly lends credence to such suppositions.
Archite Palatines
The history of the Archite Palatines is intrinsically linked with that of the 11I" Legion, their origins lying at the very dawn of the Great Crusade and their memberships both drawn from the noble houses of Europa. Though the first Archite Palatine cohorts served with several Space Marine Legions in the decades after their founding, the cultural ties they shared with the 111" Legion saw them stand closer to the Emperor’s Children than any other. After Fulgrim’s rediscovery, the Phoenician immediately recognised this bond and declared the Archite Palatines wards of the Emperor’s Children within a year of joining his Legion, lauding their worth but tying them eternally to dwell in the 11 Legion’s shadow.
The Archite Palatines Legiones Auxilia Designation is also intended to represent various other Solar Auxilia cohorts bonded to the 111™ Legion, such as the Arkadian Janissaries.
Redouble
Sharing in a degree of their Legionary patrons’ haughtiness, the Archite Palatines revelled in any opportunity to improve their legend by performing valorous deeds, establishing a history of bold advances where a single formation’s resolve in the face of adversity had emboldened an entire battleline.
ARCHITE PALATINES AUXILIARY
AUXILIARY OPHELIA HOUVE
174th INFANTRY TERCIO, 26th SOLAR AUXILIA COHORT,
‘ARCHITE PALATINES' - BONDED TO THE IIIrd LEGION
The Archite Palatines carried their Terran legacy with pride, recruiting exclusively from Europan nobility, though the credibility of this heritage during the waning years of the Great Crusade - well into the second century since the original Archite Palatines’ founding - proved questionable. Records officially suppressed by the Imperial Court and the envoys of the IIIrd Legion speak to sizeable clone-batches produced at Fulgrim’s command, initially commissioned from the gene-cults of Luna and later propagated by the IIIrd Legion’s own apothecarion. While there is no evidence directly linking these extremely unusual mass-clonings with the Archite Palatines, the fact that each known crop of clones came either directly in the aftermath of mass casualties suffered by the Archite Palatines or directly coincided with the raising of new cohorts certainly lends credence to such suppositions.
EMPEROR’S CHILDREN SATURNINE TERMINATOR
Silos Varrillion first bore the Saturnine Terminator battle plate depicted here in the battle for the Perfect Fortress at Narsis. There, he stood upon the walls of the Traitor's stronghold, weapons levelled across his assigned sector, his squad raining the fury of suns from their plasma bombards upon the Loyalist attackers that assaulted their position
Silos Varrillion first bore the Saturnine Terminator battle plate depicted here in the battle for the Perfect Fortress at Narsis. There, he stood upon the walls of the Traitor's stronghold, weapons levelled across his assigned sector, his squad raining the fury of suns from their plasma bombards upon the Loyalist attackers that assaulted their position
THE BATTALION STRIKE FORCE T
he majority of chapters are divided into two Battalions (though some feature three or more), each led by a middle-ranking Praetor, his headquarters staff, Consularis and accompanied by his personal household (or ‘huscarl’) company. Battalion Strike Forces might conduct large- scale operations fighting as a coherent concentration of forces, or be further subdivided into more independent Company Strike Forces. One of many examples of Chapters being broken down into semi-autonomous Battalion Strike Forces occurred in the early to middle years of the Horus Heresy when forces of the 111" Legion (Emperor’s Children) were tasked with ensuring that the errant V" Legion (White Scars) were unable to return to Terra to reinforce the Throneworld’s defences against the Warmaster's vast host. The Chapters tasked with this mission deployed Battalion Strike Forces across a huge volume of space and over the course of several years prosecuted a cruel war of persecution against the White Scars. Acting almost entirely on their own cognisance, the Praetors leading these Strike Forces quickly developed a keen sense of their own superiority, exceeding even the haughty mien for which the Legion’s once-noble sons have long been known. But, while they proved highly effective in this hunter-killer role, the Emperor’s Children were ultimately unable to prevent the Vt* Legion from slipping free of their noose and making their way back to Terra in time to man the walls against the Traitor hordes.
Although deployed to different sectors of the Urgall Depression, both of the Land Raiders depicted here were rendered inoperable by ranged weapons fire but later recovered for extensive repair following the Traitor victory.
he majority of chapters are divided into two Battalions (though some feature three or more), each led by a middle-ranking Praetor, his headquarters staff, Consularis and accompanied by his personal household (or ‘huscarl’) company. Battalion Strike Forces might conduct large- scale operations fighting as a coherent concentration of forces, or be further subdivided into more independent Company Strike Forces. One of many examples of Chapters being broken down into semi-autonomous Battalion Strike Forces occurred in the early to middle years of the Horus Heresy when forces of the 111" Legion (Emperor’s Children) were tasked with ensuring that the errant V" Legion (White Scars) were unable to return to Terra to reinforce the Throneworld’s defences against the Warmaster's vast host. The Chapters tasked with this mission deployed Battalion Strike Forces across a huge volume of space and over the course of several years prosecuted a cruel war of persecution against the White Scars. Acting almost entirely on their own cognisance, the Praetors leading these Strike Forces quickly developed a keen sense of their own superiority, exceeding even the haughty mien for which the Legion’s once-noble sons have long been known. But, while they proved highly effective in this hunter-killer role, the Emperor’s Children were ultimately unable to prevent the Vt* Legion from slipping free of their noose and making their way back to Terra in time to man the walls against the Traitor hordes.
Although deployed to different sectors of the Urgall Depression, both of the Land Raiders depicted here were rendered inoperable by ranged weapons fire but later recovered for extensive repair following the Traitor victory.
IIIrd LEGIONES ASTARTES
Emperors Children
The Emperor’s Children were the only Legion to bear the Emperor’s own name and his own standard - the great Palatine Aquila — granted to them by his own hand. Few were ever so honoured among the Space Marine Legions and few had less cause to betray a father than they. Given the plaudits and accolades accorded them, few could doubt that they were the embodiment of what the Emperor intended the Legiones Astartes to be: noble in action and aspect, excelling in all matters, strong, civilised, firm of purpose and loyal to the core. From this height they descended into treachery to the lowest and vilest of creatures, enslaved to pride and consumed by desires that no natural power could fulfil. The history of their deeds before their fall is not simply a history of what they were and what they achieved, but as with others that turned traitor, a history of how they created their own doom, for as the ancient texts say “Pride goeth before destruction”, and seldom has this proverb been more apt than in the case of the I[I" Legion of the Space Marines. Betrayal changed the Emperor’s Children beyond recognition: their quest for perfection became a hunger for excess, and the finely balanced order of the Legion’s structure twisted until it shattered. This new Legion showed its commitment to Horus’ cause through cruel massacres and brutal conquests, the indifference they showed for the suffering of friend and foe alike a sign of the change that had overtaken the Emperor’s Children. Despite this, it would be the martial prowess of the Emperor’s Children that formed the stable foundations of the Warmaster's rebellion.
ARMOURY OF THE EMPEROR’S CHILDREN
Surgical Augments
Towards the end of the Great Crusade, the Legion’s armourers and apothecaries had begun to experiment with surgical augments and psycho-sonic weaponry based, in part, on xenos designs. Although their true breakthroughs in these fields would not occur until given unholy impetus and inspiration during the Legion’s fall, some success had already been reached in creating effective combat implants which were finding selective use as the Horus Heresy dawned.
Sonic Shriekers : .
Distorting the bellows and screams of the user into discordant blasts, these devices stun foes with waves of high frequency sound, making them easy prey.
Sonic Lance
This device emits a focused blast of sonic energy into the foe, shattering armour and shredding flesh.
Phoenix Power Spears
Forged as works of art as much as they were fearsome weapons, the Phoenix pattern of power spear relied on a certain artistry with the blade over brute force
PHOENIX WARDEN
The personal guards of the Primarch himself and commanders of the Phoenix Guard, these warriors were charged with both the highest standards of martial excellence and the most exacting code of appearance - for they represented Fulgrim and his Legion _ in the eyes of the other Legions.
Emperors Children
The Emperor’s Children were the only Legion to bear the Emperor’s own name and his own standard - the great Palatine Aquila — granted to them by his own hand. Few were ever so honoured among the Space Marine Legions and few had less cause to betray a father than they. Given the plaudits and accolades accorded them, few could doubt that they were the embodiment of what the Emperor intended the Legiones Astartes to be: noble in action and aspect, excelling in all matters, strong, civilised, firm of purpose and loyal to the core. From this height they descended into treachery to the lowest and vilest of creatures, enslaved to pride and consumed by desires that no natural power could fulfil. The history of their deeds before their fall is not simply a history of what they were and what they achieved, but as with others that turned traitor, a history of how they created their own doom, for as the ancient texts say “Pride goeth before destruction”, and seldom has this proverb been more apt than in the case of the I[I" Legion of the Space Marines. Betrayal changed the Emperor’s Children beyond recognition: their quest for perfection became a hunger for excess, and the finely balanced order of the Legion’s structure twisted until it shattered. This new Legion showed its commitment to Horus’ cause through cruel massacres and brutal conquests, the indifference they showed for the suffering of friend and foe alike a sign of the change that had overtaken the Emperor’s Children. Despite this, it would be the martial prowess of the Emperor’s Children that formed the stable foundations of the Warmaster's rebellion.
ARMOURY OF THE EMPEROR’S CHILDREN
Surgical Augments
Towards the end of the Great Crusade, the Legion’s armourers and apothecaries had begun to experiment with surgical augments and psycho-sonic weaponry based, in part, on xenos designs. Although their true breakthroughs in these fields would not occur until given unholy impetus and inspiration during the Legion’s fall, some success had already been reached in creating effective combat implants which were finding selective use as the Horus Heresy dawned.
Sonic Shriekers : .
Distorting the bellows and screams of the user into discordant blasts, these devices stun foes with waves of high frequency sound, making them easy prey.
Sonic Lance
This device emits a focused blast of sonic energy into the foe, shattering armour and shredding flesh.
Phoenix Power Spears
Forged as works of art as much as they were fearsome weapons, the Phoenix pattern of power spear relied on a certain artistry with the blade over brute force
PHOENIX WARDEN
The personal guards of the Primarch himself and commanders of the Phoenix Guard, these warriors were charged with both the highest standards of martial excellence and the most exacting code of appearance - for they represented Fulgrim and his Legion _ in the eyes of the other Legions.
RITE OF WAR: LEGIONES ASTARTES EMPEROR’S CHILDREN
Flawless Execution
Eager to prove their superiority, Fulgrim's Legion strove to draw the first blood, and few of their opponents possessed the skills to stand against them. Although each was a consummate duellist with sword and sabre, the Emperor’s Children were able to wield all the weapons of the Legion’s panoply with a prodigal talent.
Paragon of Excellence
The Emperor’s Children prided themselves on excellence in all things, and those among their number that received the acknowledgement of Fulgrim himself were held as icons for the rest of the Legion to emulate.
Primacy Wing
Emperor Children doctrine favoured their elite, gifting the most experienced warriors with the most prestigious assignments. Their assaults often featured a core of tried and trusted bladesmen, carving forth their assault with speed and momentum, supported by fast moving support elements,
Perfect Counter
The battle doctrines of the Emperor’s Children encouraged the execution of complex plans with ruthless precision, keeping their foes on the back foot with unexpected assaults, One of their preferred tactics against a charging foe was to feign a defensive stance, only to spring forward on the attack, catching their enemy mid-stride and off-balance before cutting them down,
Flawless Execution
Eager to prove their superiority, Fulgrim's Legion strove to draw the first blood, and few of their opponents possessed the skills to stand against them. Although each was a consummate duellist with sword and sabre, the Emperor’s Children were able to wield all the weapons of the Legion’s panoply with a prodigal talent.
Paragon of Excellence
The Emperor’s Children prided themselves on excellence in all things, and those among their number that received the acknowledgement of Fulgrim himself were held as icons for the rest of the Legion to emulate.
Primacy Wing
Emperor Children doctrine favoured their elite, gifting the most experienced warriors with the most prestigious assignments. Their assaults often featured a core of tried and trusted bladesmen, carving forth their assault with speed and momentum, supported by fast moving support elements,
Perfect Counter
The battle doctrines of the Emperor’s Children encouraged the execution of complex plans with ruthless precision, keeping their foes on the back foot with unexpected assaults, One of their preferred tactics against a charging foe was to feign a defensive stance, only to spring forward on the attack, catching their enemy mid-stride and off-balance before cutting them down,
RITE OF WAR: LEGIONES HERETICUS EMPEROR’S CHILDREN
Lords of Profligacy
The Emperor’s Children were once a proud and noble Legion, but in the wake of the Horus Heresy they became changed by their hubristic aspirations. Exemplars of the Imperium became debased and twisted degenerates, obsessed and driven by selfish desire and excess. Despite this, they were no less deadly as warriors, owing to potent cocktails of stims, aberrant surgical augments and the emanant power of dark gods.
The Broken Mirror
Where once the lords of the Emperor’s Children had striven for greatness and challenged their followers to excel, now they wallowed in their own ego, driven to perform great deeds for the rapt adulation of their inferiors.
Brotherhood of the Phoenix
In the days before the Horus Heresy, the Brotherhood of the Phoenix was a fraternity of officers from the Emperor’s Children, akin to the warrior lodges found in other Legions, albeit with a significantly more elitist approach to membership. In the years after the Legion’s fall, this became a haven for the most ambitious and deadly warriors, clamouring around their Primarch, each seeking his attention and favour.
Twisted Desire
The corruption saturating the Emperor’s Children stripped away any sense of tactical planning, each warrior thinking only of their desire to test their mettle against a worthy foe and achieve glory.
Lords of Profligacy
The Emperor’s Children were once a proud and noble Legion, but in the wake of the Horus Heresy they became changed by their hubristic aspirations. Exemplars of the Imperium became debased and twisted degenerates, obsessed and driven by selfish desire and excess. Despite this, they were no less deadly as warriors, owing to potent cocktails of stims, aberrant surgical augments and the emanant power of dark gods.
The Broken Mirror
Where once the lords of the Emperor’s Children had striven for greatness and challenged their followers to excel, now they wallowed in their own ego, driven to perform great deeds for the rapt adulation of their inferiors.
Brotherhood of the Phoenix
In the days before the Horus Heresy, the Brotherhood of the Phoenix was a fraternity of officers from the Emperor’s Children, akin to the warrior lodges found in other Legions, albeit with a significantly more elitist approach to membership. In the years after the Legion’s fall, this became a haven for the most ambitious and deadly warriors, clamouring around their Primarch, each seeking his attention and favour.
Twisted Desire
The corruption saturating the Emperor’s Children stripped away any sense of tactical planning, each warrior thinking only of their desire to test their mettle against a worthy foe and achieve glory.
Sons of Horus
Long before the first shots of the Horus Heresy were fired, Horus was planning how best to cement his control over the Legions, his own especially. Many of his men were won over with promises of glory or oaths of loyalty, and many more followed Horus simply because they always had. There remained, however, an element of the old guard, mostly former Luna Wolves, whose loyalties could not be relied upon. On Isstvan 111, the Warmaster set a trap for these warriors, along with the parts of the Emperor’s Children, World Eaters and Death Guard Legions who had also failed to be swayed by their own Primarchs. In the aftermath of this battle the Legion was reborn once again, all weaknesses excised, and readied to deal a fatal blow to the Emperor’s forces. All throughout the galactic civil war, the Sons of Horus were at the forefront of the fighting, from the ambush at Isstvan V against the still reeling Loyalists, to the invasion of the Knight world of Molech, where the Warmaster himself led his forces into battle. Always the Sons of Horus were the tip of the spear, plunging into the Loyalists’ lines to deliver the killing blow. Horus’ strategic genius was only amplified in these years, coordinating the actions of half a galaxys armies. It is known that on occasion, he would let other forces bear the brunt of the attrition for his Legion, only to unleash it at the moment of glory to win the day. It is then fitting that when at last Horus reached the Throneworld of Terra and began his final assault against the capital of the Imperium, the Sons of Horus were there in their tens of thousands, ready to follow their master to victory in the great and final war which he had instigated.
Long before the first shots of the Horus Heresy were fired, Horus was planning how best to cement his control over the Legions, his own especially. Many of his men were won over with promises of glory or oaths of loyalty, and many more followed Horus simply because they always had. There remained, however, an element of the old guard, mostly former Luna Wolves, whose loyalties could not be relied upon. On Isstvan 111, the Warmaster set a trap for these warriors, along with the parts of the Emperor’s Children, World Eaters and Death Guard Legions who had also failed to be swayed by their own Primarchs. In the aftermath of this battle the Legion was reborn once again, all weaknesses excised, and readied to deal a fatal blow to the Emperor’s forces. All throughout the galactic civil war, the Sons of Horus were at the forefront of the fighting, from the ambush at Isstvan V against the still reeling Loyalists, to the invasion of the Knight world of Molech, where the Warmaster himself led his forces into battle. Always the Sons of Horus were the tip of the spear, plunging into the Loyalists’ lines to deliver the killing blow. Horus’ strategic genius was only amplified in these years, coordinating the actions of half a galaxys armies. It is known that on occasion, he would let other forces bear the brunt of the attrition for his Legion, only to unleash it at the moment of glory to win the day. It is then fitting that when at last Horus reached the Throneworld of Terra and began his final assault against the capital of the Imperium, the Sons of Horus were there in their tens of thousands, ready to follow their master to victory in the great and final war which he had instigated.
EMPEROR’S CHILDREN VEHICLE HERALDRY
The IIIrd Legion lost a great number of its armoured vehicles during the Isstvan III Atrocity, and was forced to draw heavily on Legion reserves, as well as vehicles reclaimed from the detritus left in the aftermath of the Isstvan V Dropsite Massacre, in order to replenish its numbers. While the Emperor’s Children strive to master all aspects of armoured combat, they have a specific inclination towards manoeuvre warfare, favouring fast transport vehicles and main battle tanks, and other elements able to directly support them,
Vehicles whose service to the Emperor’s Children predates the Isstvan Il Atrocity invariably bear the Legion’s Imperial purple livery and are often adorned with a range of gold details, icons and devices, including finely wrought representations of their beloved Primarch. Vehicles post-dating Isstvan III are often partially or fully black in colour, the Legion Forge increasingly struggling to obtain the rare tyrion pigment. By the dawn of the assault on Terra, this was the predominant heraldry borne by the IIIrd Legion’s armoured forces.
Whether bearing the purple or the black, or a combination of both, the majority of Emperor’s Children vehicles bear the Legion’s winged-claw armourial as well as the ordinal ‘III' in gold. Squadron and vehicle numbers are invariably white or gold. Many IIIrd Legion vehicles carry an ‘Eye’ device, indicative of service under the command of the Warmaster prior to the outbreak of the civil war, and continued as a sign of fealty to the Traitor cause.
The IIIrd Legion lost a great number of its armoured vehicles during the Isstvan III Atrocity, and was forced to draw heavily on Legion reserves, as well as vehicles reclaimed from the detritus left in the aftermath of the Isstvan V Dropsite Massacre, in order to replenish its numbers. While the Emperor’s Children strive to master all aspects of armoured combat, they have a specific inclination towards manoeuvre warfare, favouring fast transport vehicles and main battle tanks, and other elements able to directly support them,
Vehicles whose service to the Emperor’s Children predates the Isstvan Il Atrocity invariably bear the Legion’s Imperial purple livery and are often adorned with a range of gold details, icons and devices, including finely wrought representations of their beloved Primarch. Vehicles post-dating Isstvan III are often partially or fully black in colour, the Legion Forge increasingly struggling to obtain the rare tyrion pigment. By the dawn of the assault on Terra, this was the predominant heraldry borne by the IIIrd Legion’s armoured forces.
Whether bearing the purple or the black, or a combination of both, the majority of Emperor’s Children vehicles bear the Legion’s winged-claw armourial as well as the ordinal ‘III' in gold. Squadron and vehicle numbers are invariably white or gold. Many IIIrd Legion vehicles carry an ‘Eye’ device, indicative of service under the command of the Warmaster prior to the outbreak of the civil war, and continued as a sign of fealty to the Traitor cause.
IIIrd LEGION STANDARD
The Emperor’s Children won countless accolades in the service of the Imperium during the Great Crusade. Great swathes of the galaxy were reconquered by the IIIrd Legion and brought into Imperial Compliance. To commemorate not only victories of the Legion as a whole but also the valour and noteworthy endeavours of individual commanders, lavish banners were commissioned. These artworks were the pinnacle of their craft, artfully woven from the finest materials sourced from across the known Imperium
THE PALATINE AQUILA
While many variations of the double-headed eagle were worn as a signifier of loyalty to both the Imperium of humanity and the Emperor as its master, the IIIrd Legion was granted the right to bear the Palatine Aquila after the Proxima Compliance. The standard of the Palatine Aquila so fiercely fought for was given to them by the Emperor’s own hand, to be their relic ever after.
The Emperor’s Children won countless accolades in the service of the Imperium during the Great Crusade. Great swathes of the galaxy were reconquered by the IIIrd Legion and brought into Imperial Compliance. To commemorate not only victories of the Legion as a whole but also the valour and noteworthy endeavours of individual commanders, lavish banners were commissioned. These artworks were the pinnacle of their craft, artfully woven from the finest materials sourced from across the known Imperium
THE PALATINE AQUILA
While many variations of the double-headed eagle were worn as a signifier of loyalty to both the Imperium of humanity and the Emperor as its master, the IIIrd Legion was granted the right to bear the Palatine Aquila after the Proxima Compliance. The standard of the Palatine Aquila so fiercely fought for was given to them by the Emperor’s own hand, to be their relic ever after.
FULGRIM
Primarch of the Emperor’s Children, The Phoenician, The Prefector of Chemos
The mercurial and prideful Fulgrim was the Primarch of the Emperor’s Children Legion. Fulgrim strove to be a paragon in all things: generalship, martial skill, governance, reason and endeavour, and passed on his values to the Legion where they became enshrined as a remorseless dedication to perfection in war. The Emperor’s Children under his rule rose from the ashes of n’ea-r. extinction to become shining exemplars of the Emperor’s vision for the Legiones Astartes. Fulgrim maintained clear and rigid lines of authority within his Legion; his personal beliefs, opinions and inclinations in all matters filtered down through the ranks as ironclad doctrine that was not to be questioned. His sons modelled their lives around him, adoring him and striving to reach the ever-rising heights of his ambitions.
Firebrand
One of a number of arms Fulgrim carried as his mood took him, Firebrand is a masterpiece of the gunsmith's craft, as much a work of art as it was a fearsome weapon of war.
Laeran Blade
Fulgrim bore a number of blades throughout the Horus Heresy. Originally carrying a blade taken from the xenos Laer during the Great Crusade, Fulgrim often grew bored of his tools of war, either gifting them to favoured captains or simply abandoning them within his personal armoury. Regardless of origin, these quicksilver blades were usually created in the style of the masterwork weapons of the Laer, and were able to slice stone and steel without mar.
Sublime Swordsman
Fulgrim’s skill as a duellist and swordsman is enhanced by his phenomenal speed and agility, his foes appearing as blundering oafs as he danced around them, drawing blood with every strike.
Sire of the Emperor’s Children
Fulgrim taught the value of momentum in battle, fighting ever on the front foot. In war, his sons sought to engage the foe before their defences could be prepared, rather than waiting and risking facing a well-prepared and dug-in enemy force.
Primarch of the Emperor’s Children, The Phoenician, The Prefector of Chemos
The mercurial and prideful Fulgrim was the Primarch of the Emperor’s Children Legion. Fulgrim strove to be a paragon in all things: generalship, martial skill, governance, reason and endeavour, and passed on his values to the Legion where they became enshrined as a remorseless dedication to perfection in war. The Emperor’s Children under his rule rose from the ashes of n’ea-r. extinction to become shining exemplars of the Emperor’s vision for the Legiones Astartes. Fulgrim maintained clear and rigid lines of authority within his Legion; his personal beliefs, opinions and inclinations in all matters filtered down through the ranks as ironclad doctrine that was not to be questioned. His sons modelled their lives around him, adoring him and striving to reach the ever-rising heights of his ambitions.
Firebrand
One of a number of arms Fulgrim carried as his mood took him, Firebrand is a masterpiece of the gunsmith's craft, as much a work of art as it was a fearsome weapon of war.
Laeran Blade
Fulgrim bore a number of blades throughout the Horus Heresy. Originally carrying a blade taken from the xenos Laer during the Great Crusade, Fulgrim often grew bored of his tools of war, either gifting them to favoured captains or simply abandoning them within his personal armoury. Regardless of origin, these quicksilver blades were usually created in the style of the masterwork weapons of the Laer, and were able to slice stone and steel without mar.
Sublime Swordsman
Fulgrim’s skill as a duellist and swordsman is enhanced by his phenomenal speed and agility, his foes appearing as blundering oafs as he danced around them, drawing blood with every strike.
Sire of the Emperor’s Children
Fulgrim taught the value of momentum in battle, fighting ever on the front foot. In war, his sons sought to engage the foe before their defences could be prepared, rather than waiting and risking facing a well-prepared and dug-in enemy force.